Plastic window



A. B. DOW

PLASTIC WINDOW May 24, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q Filed June 16, 1,943

I N VEN TOR.

W o D B n e d A ATTORNEY A. B. DOW

PLASTIC wmnow May 24, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 16, 1943 INVENTOR. A/aen 5. Dow

.DM/m imam/ca A TTOZNEY Patented May 24, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLASTIC WINDOW Alden B. Dow, Midland, Mich.

Application June 16, 1943, Serial No. 491,027

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a window and more particularly to a window including a flexible plastic pane.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a window which may be opened and closed by manipulating a flexible pane without moving the window sash.

An additional object is to provide a window of novel and useful design wherein the decorative and physical qualities of plastic sheets may be utilized.

An additional object is to provide a window of simple and economical construction free from weights, cords, and movable sashes.

These and related objects are accomplished readily by disposing a series of panes, at least one of which is of flexible plastic material, in alternately overlapping relationship between a pair of coplanar stationary supporting members separated from one another by a distance less than the width of the supported panes. Since the width of the panes is greater than the distance between the supporting members, the panes assume a curved or bowed position resembling. secti'ons of a cylindrical or conical surface depending upon whether the supporting members are parallel with or inclined to one another. Since the panes are supported in alternately overlapping relationship, 1. e. in such manner that the concave surface of the two panes overlaping the ends of a flexible pane are each in contact with the convex surface of the latter, the flexible pane may, by the exertion of pressure on its convex surface, be caused to flex and to assume another curved position similar to its original position except that its originally convexv surface will, after flexing, be concave. By flexing the pane. in this manner, openings are created between the ends of the flexible pane and the adjacent panes and movement of air through the window may occur. The opened window may be closed by simply flexing the flexible pane back again to its original position. It is apparent that, if each pane in the series is flexible, the window may be opened by flexing. alternate panes and subsequently closed by flexing the remaining panes, if desired.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1. is a diagrammatic frontelevation oil a portion of a window having. alternately overlapping flexible and non-flexible plastic panes disposed between parallel supporting members.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic front elevation of a window having alternately overlapping flexible and non-flexible plastic panes disposed between non-parallel supporting members.

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in cross-: section, taken on the line III-III of Figure 1 and showing a portion of a window having flexible panes in open and closed positions and Show ing one way in which panes may be secured to supporting members.

Figure 4 is a side elevation similar to Figure 3 I showing an additional way in which flexible panes may be secured to supporting members.

Figure 5 is an isometric view of a window, in part such as shown in Figure I, having flexible and non-flexible plastic panes with one section of the window opened and another section closed.

Figure 6 is a view partially in section taken on line VI-VI of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a section taken on line VIIVI-I of Figure 2 with the flexible pane removed.

In the following description it will be understood that the length of a flexible pane is measured along a line in the surface of the ane equi-d'istant at all points from the two stationary members supporting the pane, and the width of the pane is measured along a curved line lying in the surface of the pane which intersects the length line atan angle of 90 degrees and which terminates at the: juncture of the pane with the supporting members to which it is secured. Thus, although the width of a pane may, in some cases, be of greater magnitude than its length. the flexible pane will be understood to be secured along its sides and to be unsecured along ends.

Referring now to Figure 1, the horizontal su p porting members I t for the flexible plastic panesl-2 may be of wood, metal, plastic or other struc tural material. The flexible panes l2 are wider than the: distance between the supporting mem bers It and; consequently they assume a bowed position. By pressing upon the convex surface oi any one of the panes t2, the pane may be flexed and caused to assume another curved. position in. which the: aforesaid convex surface be comes theeoncave surface of the pane. The flexible panes l2 overlap fixed panes l4 through;--

outthe regions #3; The fixed panes M, which are secured to the vertical supporting members l5, as well as to the horizontal members H, are not adapted to be flexed and may be of glass or other inflexible material, if desired. It should be noted, however, that the fixed panes M have substantially the same curvature as the flexible panes l2 throughout the region of overlap :3 so that when a. pane I2 is in one of the two curved positions which it may assume its convex surface throughout the region is in close contact with the concave surface of the fixed panes M, the two panes thus forming a substantially tight closure. With the flexible pane in this position, the window is said to be closed. When, however, the flexible pane I2 is flexed and caused to assume the other of its two possible curved positions, an opening is formed through the region l3 and the window is said to be open. As a matter of convenience, flexible panes are said to be capable of being flexed either inwardly or outwardly.

The manner in which the window may be opened or closed may be understood more clearly by referring to Figure 3 wherein flexible panes I2 and fixed panes M are secured between horizontal supporting members I l and securing strips l6 fastened to the face thereof as by screws or nails I1. Any particular flexible pane may be flexed at will and. caused to assume either a position wherein it is in close contact with the fixed pane l4 overlapping its ends or a position in which it is separated therefrom, the window being closed or opened, respectively, thereby. In Figure 4 there is shown alternate means for securing panes to supporting members. Flexible panes 42 and fixed panes 44 are secured between the sides of supporting members 4! and securing strips 46 as by nails or screws 41. Other ways of securing panes to supporting members will be apparent.

Although the two supporting members for a particular flexible pane may conveniently be parallel as in Figure 1, they may, if desired, be disposed at an angle, preferably but not necessarily at an angle less than 45 degrees, to one another. Such a window having non-parallel supporting members is shown in Figure 2 wherein flexible panes 22 and inflexible panes 24 and 25 are disposed between supporting members 2| so as to provide a region of overlap 23 at each end of the flexible pane.

It will be apparent that, for a pane to flex properly and to form a tight joint at the overlap, as, for example, at l3 of Figure 1 and at 23 of Figure 2, the supporting members on each side of a pane intended to be flexed should be straight along the entire side of the pane including the overlapping portion at each end thereof. Although the particular panes in the window of the present invention which are intended to be opened or flexed are of flexible plastic material, it should be noted that intermediate or end panes in a row need not necessarily be flexible. Such intermediate or end panes may, if desired, be of glass, non-flexible plastic or of other suitable transparent, colored or opaque material. It may also be noted that, although panes which are not intended to be flexed may, if desired, be of flexible material, they may be of a shape not adapted to be flexed, such, for example, as panes having curvature in more than one direction as 24 of Figure 2. Furthermore, the supporting members need not be straight along the entire side of the non-flexing pane. Thus, panes intended to be flexed may be alternated with. stationary panes not intended to be flexed and the latter may be of any desired shape or design to produce decorative and artistic eflects provided they are shaped throughout the region of overlap to lie in close contact with the flexible pane when the latter is in its closed position. Panes whose ends abut the window sash, i. e. panes at the end of a particular row of panes, such as Id of Figure l and 24 of Figure 2, are usually not intended to be flexed and may be fastened rigidly to the window sash in convenient manner to effect a tight joint therewith. This may be accomplished in any of several conventional ways, such as inserting the plastic pane into a groove cut into a suitably wide sash member, abutting the plastic pane against a curved stop and cementing it into place in a manner analogous to installing and puttying a standard flat glass pane into an ordinary sash, or suitably sealing the curved paneto a convenient member extending from the sash. In this latter case such extension is conveniently of transparent plastic and it may either be cemented to or made integral with the curved pane as shown in Figure 5. Although the supporting members of any particular flexible pane are stationary with respect to each other the window may, as a whole, be hinged to swing open or be adapted to slide in its frame or be movable in any other manner.

The flexible panes which may be sheets or laminations of any transparent, colored or opaque plastic material, such as flexible compositions containing ethylcellulose, cellulose acetate 'butyrate, cellulose nitrate, polystyrene, polyacrylate, etc., and of any convenient thickness and degree of flexibility adapted to repeated flexing, are, as previously mentioned, wider than the distance between the supporting members. Panes having a width of about 1.57 times the distance between the supporting members will lie in a curved position which, when viewed from the end of the pane, will approximate a semicircle and this will frequently be of advantage as presenting a pleasing appearance and as offering maximum resistance to flexing by wind pressure. However, panes of any desired width greater than the distance between the supporting members may be used.

A pane intended to be flexed and supported between parallel supporting members may be of uniform width throughout its length, in which case it will assume a shape approximating that of a portion of the surface of a cylinder, or it may be of uniformly changing width throughout its length, in which case it will assume a shape approximating that of a portion of the surface of a cone. A pane supported between non-parallel supporting members may be of uniform width or of uniformly changing width throughout its length, and may thus, depending upon the angle between the supporting members and upon the rate of change in width of the pane with re spect to its length, assume a shape approximating that of a portion of the surface of either a cylinder or a cone. Furthermore, it is not necessary that the ends of the flexible panes be perpendicular to either the supporting members or to the length line of the pane and the pane may thus assume a position similar to a helicoidal surface. Other shapes of flexible panes and arrangements of the supporting members will be apparent.

If desired, a thin strip, 58 of Figure 5, of relatively soft and flexible material, such as soft rubber or soft plastic material, may be inserted between the overlapping portions of two adjoining panes to make the joint completely air and water tight. Such strip, which may be transparent, colored or opaque, and which may be of decorative design, may be secured to the surface of either of the overlapping panes, as by means of an adhesive or by riveting, in such position that when the panes are in closed position the strip will form an effective gasket and substantially prevent the entrance of air and water. Such strips are of particular value when flexible panes are disposed in the window in other than a longitudinally horizontal position since, in such instance, water falling upon the window may tend to run down the face of the pane and pass through the window at the region of overlap unless the latter is Water tight when in closed position.

The flexible pane may be opened or closed by pressing on its convex surface or, if desired, handles, 59 of Figure 5, may be attached to the surface of the pane by means of which the opening and closing may be facilitated. Other suitable opening and closing means will be apparent. Screen, suitable for excluding insects, may, if desired, be secured as shown at 5'! of Figure 5 to the panes overlapping each end of a flexible pane in such manner that it covers the opening formed when the flexible pane is flexed to open the window.

I claim:

1. In a window, the combination including: spaced coplanar supporting members; and a plurality of alternately overlapping panes supported therebetween; said panes being of width greater than the distance between said supporting members, at least one of said panes being of flexible plastic material adapted to be flexed inwardly and outwardly thereby to cause the overlapping ends of said flexible pane selectively to be in surface contact with and to be separated from the overlapped portions of the adjacent panes in the series.

2. In a window, the combination including: spaced coplanar supporting members; and a plurality of overlapping panes supported therebetween, said panes being of width greater than the distance between said supporting members, at least one of said panes being of plastic material and adapted to be flexed, said flexible pane, when flexed in one direction, having the ends of its convex side overlapping and in flat surface contact with the similarly curved concave surfaces of the ends of the two adjoining panes thereby substantially to prevent the passage of air between said flexible and said adjoining panes, and, when flexed in the opposite direction, having its said overlapping ends separated from the ends of said adjoining panes thereby to allow passage of air between the ends of the flexible pane and the adjoining panes.

ALDEN B. DOW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,057,651 McMillan Apr. 1, 1913 1,309,352 Christopher July 8, 1919 2,193,469 Ashton Mar. 12, 1940 

